One of John McCain’s advisers recently called his running mate Sarah Palin a “diva” after she went off-script at a rally, and suggested she was looking after her own political future over the current campaign. Now another adviser ups the ante in a conversation with the Politico’s Playbook, labeling Palin a “whack job.”

(WASHINGTON) — Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens was convicted of seven corruption charges Monday in a trial that tainted the 40-year Senate career of Alaska’s political patriarch. The verdict, coming barely a week before Election Day, added further uncertainty to a closely watched Senate race. Democrats hope to seize the once reliably Republican seat as part of their bid for a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate.

Stevens, 84, was convicted of all the charges he faced of lying about free home renovations and other gifts from a wealthy oil contractor.

Samuel Joe Wurzelbacher’s campaign confrontation over tax with Democratic White House hopeful Barack Obama has been seized on by Republican John McCain, who has made the issue a centrepiece of his campaign during the final week of the race.

But now Joe the Plumber has bowed to growing pressure from grassroots Republicans in his home state of Ohio to consider launching his own campaign.

Mr Wurzelbacher told conservative talk show host Laura Ingraham that he is thinking of challenging Democratic Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur in her Toledo area seat in 2010.

ABC News’ Rick Klein Reports: The McCain-Palin campaign’s efforts to reach women is about to get a celebrity boost: Elisabeth Hasselbeck is set to join Gov. Sarah Palin on the campaign trail.

“The View” co-host said Thursday the McCain campaign contacted her a day earlier, to convey an invitation from Palin to introduce her at rallies Sunday in Florida.

I always thought that Elisabeth was Cindy Lou’s bestest buddy, but I guess she’s been handed down to Caribou Barbie. I guess Reality Show Barbie is now the official celebrityCheerleader Sneerleader Barbie!